New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-19
DEATH IN A BURNING HOTEL.
FROM EIGHT To A DOZEN LIVES LOST BY
FIRE IN BUFFALO.

THE EXACT NUMBER OF DEAD STILL UNKNOWN
| THE RICHMOND HOTEL AND ST. JAMEs's HALL
| COMPLETELY DEsTRoYED-MANY INJURED.
BUFFALO, March tS-Tbe Richmond Hotel and the
adjoining building known ST. James's Hall, were
destroyed by fire this morning Although the loss OF
lie will probably not reach the appalling figures men,
toned In the height OF the confusion and panic that
followed the catastrophe, yet it is certain that many
we're burned TO death 10 the of the hoei
killed in their endeavors to escape from the burning
building. The horrors OF the fire hearirending
Guests were aroused from sleep by the omnous ring
ing OF the alarm bells. Panic and confusion reigncd
among them. With the rapdit, OF death the hames
spread through the corridors All escape by the stair
| way wa, cut off, The windows alone remained
prisoners could DO standing the window lodges
driven tther by the intense heat aud by tho hope OF
rescue. Sole were partially dressed many ~ere IN
their nghtdrcsses Their crys Tor Lep could be heard
Tor blocks ana stimulated to the utmost the zeal OF the
Hremcn. There many excit ng rescue and G.any
an escape, IN Shlch lite due only to consumlatc
cooness OF udgscnt and ilon of execution The
guiding was practically consume0. Tomorrow tho
s'ckenng task searching io bodies among the ruins
| will be.iD.
The Richmond Hotel and handsome. 1t
was at Main aud Eagle sts and extended through to
tanis OF Buffalo as the home OF the Dung Mems
Association. now known the Buffalo LibraryJ
The buil'ina itself was erected IN 1886 and
was known the st. Jamess Hotel. After u strug
gng existence ~ hotel the propcry,in 1864, passed
into the hands OF the Young Mems Christian Associa-
on. Last October the association up its rooms
In the old building and the firm OF Stafford Co.. com.
posed of Robert Stafford II. L. Whitaker and w j.
Mann, took lease OF the biding and again tnrned it
into hotel The hotel refurnishod and
decorat d with great taste and Was opened on Feb
ruary 20 lees than month ago. One OF the features
OF the hotel was rounda or open court in tho centre
OF the building. This was tavOrte gathering place
for guests around it were galleries on each iioor.
The stairway and two elevators also located
about ths coIr, which thus proved to he a terribly
|
moor. T"c large building adjoining the hoe IN Eagle
and asaington sts, and known as 81 Janicss HAL,
occupied by BunnelIs Museum. II was built over
thirty years ago on the site OF the Old Ea2io street
Theatre aad many noted men, among them Emerson,
| he, cher and " Tom Marshall, OF Kentucky, have
! spoken from its platform
| How the fire -taIted IL yet mystery. William H.
Aliorf. the night clerk, that 1t began IN the clock
/ loom, under the IL ain ,lat 800 a. N. The
clerk, the night porter and bell-ooy were the only
persons stirring in tho iliing Abort pulled the
our fire ala n to arouse the guests the four floors
The fire followed the elevator and within five inutcs
it had reached the top floor. Abort and the belEDoy
at en- ped to turn hose on the re, but the wafer
would not flow. The sprt tad OF the hames was fright
iul The elevator shalt and star 'ays acted ns chin
neys, and up them the fire leapt from i0or to hoor,
spreading out through the corridors on each story
The flames spread TO the southeast side of the h0ic
hrst. 4 he iirenen promptly summoned and they
did gallant work. As usual the telegraph wires we're
in lte,r wav aud TO the delay thus ca.se,l must tie
ascribcd much OF the loss OF lie. The number Of per-
In the hoIel ut the time OF the fire, including the
families OF the proprietor and the clerkswas somewhat
|
that can at present be gwen OF the dead
DEAD AND MISSING.
BESEDII HIRAM. jG OF ekpor was registered at tho ho
! Jonssos =, ioron,o railroad man
OsBDnxE ,c day Of the hotel IL is missing and is
suppo,e. TO have persisted In The hAmoS
PIEcI WI-oS ior number years reporter for II. O.
erAse business body At The undertaking io1ms ol
woifS KsIr Of IocEpor whose body horribly burned
and clothed only Ia wrapper was taken iom "h' VI 'o
wEIcl dasT servant IN Tho hotel Ier con,ia ,aw her
siaec GSsn heard lion iio@. ''''''
The INJURIES OF the following persons regarded as
probably fatal
FATALLY INJURED
Konv A. Of York and sustained severe
e s ,SP 5SPa I' aoat ooa" s "o BODY She . at the
| ninsEr H. d. Of NewYork lie is not expected to i've
The other injured. the list can be made up at
/ present, arc;
OTHERS INJURED.
Mary Conucn. &c Gilbert New.York:
sir, Mann. " W - De"ey i.ovnes'er
ttwsri Whalen Nowbury. kdwln A. Finch. Scranton.
aas3.s sas5. 11TS aaSrsSa SG%'' 0'A Mar s' %:%
t,o0,: Ns.S: SsSss, s.iaSS H1iSST ni%eiI. SS1Ino"
Frederick H. Moore, Clefc' NriI1 y" e',h.
William 4. Haven Helena.
Northern rAcinc Railroad
! Among the guests The Richmond last night was
party OF numbering dozen or morc VINO
had come to adjust losses OF their companies on
the Miller Grciner fire The following Is correct
! list OF this party.
Colonel IT, j. Bassett MI Crane Of the fna Insurance
Company HARTFORD q. Dennis u the Roy al Insurance
ahc Conpany e. W. Dubois Of the Commercial mon ON ON
s9p,ny ny, A. w. p .D OF the PSii Company Hartford
w. j. Maekay OF TIE spTnsned ns@I,neS CJP'sy Ie riS
o. e on'9on Eo%ga o. -@ef n;n o. Of 'S The fSr NSr
| Brush ami Mercantile Company James, IL, Nsn
Buren, Of the cognsctea, company Wnam
! Welcn. of tho city OF London Insurance company
All ol these gentlemen are safe but CIV. DuDols.W W;
J. Macsay and II. Z. Smith received some painiui
Perhaps the most thrilling escape was that OF Pres
Whitaker, stepson OF Mr. S'anoro, tnt piopr'c,o,i pi
| lie roonicd in tho fifth story, ana when arc useu
step,ed 10 the window aud looked doWn ior a lew
aeconus. then he deliberately dressed himseil aho
ling from The window stood on the stone cappnS
above the window beneath. From tins cappilg nc
stepped tho next one along the front o tue ouhus.
aud proceeded in this nanner 10 Il iausr 1t. @ .o o ,
| extremity OF the front. Inc nerve anu eoo'"''' "'
played were remarkable x 10 s,h
| j. G. Gilbert, commercial traveller OF no 10 ooutn
Portlandave.. brooklyn. WAS rescued rom tne ,aEo %
| st side He could bo Tor some minutes standing
in the window history room, the namc, o az az
sides him. He was partially dfesscu ,,I anu u. ,h %
stocking feet Patiently he stood there ana W''.e no
arrival OF the ladder which was being SLOWLY 'Iis1u
and IT reached him soon, Tor ns no g'i'sp& ~ ;.
and began his descent the place he had just io' ""S
seen To take ire. - -. :.,,
Clinton Bdwcll OF Pittsburg, is lying on IN impr3-
| vsel cot AT DR.. Hayds office on Niagnras'. Looh
at nv hands," he shreked. neu tne snceas w. ~,
re,ber ami came down by them When was nearly
down man who had j.mped shot past me; o o,t II
near striking me. The people lay on the rooi al an
about me- They were groauing and dying NY God
IL was awful 1hey died know they DID, Inc SA'"
is ali OF me-" ,,, Saith
Alfred g. Clay. of Philadelphia and Lonis rs r.. on,an,
of I,rooklyn had remarkable experience ihey hyt h
in adjoining the fifth ioor ana tsl' apoa n %
same story Mr.. Clay aroused oy the rns,ns ,o y,
the electric fire bell and got up. lie pressed hs neer
ON the BUTTON wondering what was the mater uu @ ,.o
bell continued ringing lie went to bed ngMh ior @
moment or .o and got no q second time to try u stop
the noise. 1t then dswned upon him that Sometn.s
was wrong BY this time the place was pesinilns ~ ~
blaze fuolsly He foind the exit by the siait" a!s
cut Of and took tbs window Both he AMI Mr, Sn '
Il aLai I1IaIaal In